NYC's Swanky New Marriage Bureau

We wrote last year about New York City's plan to spruce up its marriage bureau in an effort to attract more matrimony-minded couples (and ...

We wrote last year about New York City's plan to spruce up its marriage bureau in an effort to attract more matrimony-minded couples (and more matri-money, too). NYC is currently second to Las Vegas in the number of marriage licenses it issues, and the Big Apple wants a bigger piece of the pie.

The $12 million renovation, which opens next week, replaces the old marriage bureau -- a cramped, 70's-era warren of bland, unsightly offices -- with a soft-lit marble showplace with expansive dressing rooms for brides-to-be.

Forget the wedding band? No problem. The new bureau offers an elastic
faux-diamond band for $9. No flowers? They are available as well -- $4
to $7 for a single stem and $25 to $50 for a bridal bouquet. There is
also hairspray ($4), disposable digital cameras ($16.25) and tissues,
at $1.75 a pack, for the weepy types.